Hip injury causes British record-holder to withdraw from Sunday’s big event but he could be back in seven months’ time

Mo Farah has set his sights on returning to the TCS London Marathon in April after being forced to withdraw from this weekend’s race due to a hip injury.

It is disappointing news for British fans and follows Eilish McColgan’s decision to similarly pull out of the October 2 race. If their winter preparations go well, though, they will both be on the start line in the British capital on April 23.

Farah, 39, looked in decent shape when winning The Big Half in London earlier this month, but recently was hit with the hip problem and, despite intensive treatment, decided to drop out after the pain bothered him over the past fortnight.

“I’ve been training really hard over the past few months and I’d got myself back into good shape and was feeling pretty optimistic about being able to put in a good performance at the TCS London Marathon,” he said. “However, over the past 10 days I’ve been feeling pain and tightness in my right hip. I’ve had extensive physio and treatment and done everything I can to be on the start line but it hasn’t improved enough to compete on Sunday.

“It’s really disappointing to have to withdraw after a good last few months and after my win at The Big Half but also because I love racing in front of my home crowd in London who always give all of us athletes such amazing support.

“I wish everyone taking part on Sunday a good run and I hope to be back out there with you in April 2023.”

READ MORE: London Marathon who, what and when guide

Race director Hugh Brasher said he hopes to see Farah at the next London Marathon in seven months’ time. “We are so sorry that Sir Mo is not fit to run on Sunday. We wish him a very speedy recovery and hope to see him running the 2023 TCS London Marathon in April next year.”

For Farah it would have been the fourth time he had run his home town marathon – the last time being in 2019. He finished eighth on his debut in 2014 (2:08:21), third in 2018 (2:06:21) and fifth in 2019 (2:05:39).

His British record of 2:05:11 was set five years ago when winning in Chicago.